A North Carolina high school football coach was taken into custody on Nov. 12 on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police claim that the man had a blood alcohol level that was more than double the North Carolina .08 percent legal limit at the time of the incident, and the 43-year-old coach was charged with misdemeanor DWI.
According to police, the coach was swerving and driving on the shoulder before being pulled over on Ligon Mill Road shortly before midnight. Officers allege that he smelled of alcohol and had glassy eyes when they approached his vehicle. Officers also claim that they noticed two 24-ounce containers of beer in the vehicle. A subsequent breath test revealed that the coach had a blood alcohol level of .17 percent.
Sources indicate that the man has a previous criminal record and that he was charged with driving with an open container in 1992. In 1994, he was charged for speeding with an expired registration. The man was suspended from his coaching duties at the high school as a result of the most recent charges.
Individuals who work with children or drive a vehicle for a living may face professional sanctions when they are charged with drunk driving. A criminal defense attorney could assist those charged with impaired driving by challenging the validity of breath test results or questioning the statements and actions of law enforcement officers. A defense attorney could also possibly seek to have drunk driving charges reduced or dismissed during plea discussions with prosecutors if an accident did not occur.
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